The studio is where I find myself and lose myself in the exact moment. I work with mixed media, painting, and drawing to communicate and express myself. 

 

Connection and protection are socially, emotionally, and culturally at an all-time focus nationally and internationally. My work visually addresses the meaning of protection as an essential need for survival. The idea is that protection can come from several areas—one, something more significant than man-kind, and two, from within ourselves. Lastly, our community plays a pivotal role in connecting and protecting each of us.

 

I explore the usage of the universal symbol of the Nazar, an eye-shaped amulet believed to ward off the “evil eye," otherwise deemed the "mati" (greek translation for "eye."). In combination with the mati, the symbolism of wildlife and nature are pivotal within my work.

 

For a complete collection, visit my Instagram @nerissaballandart 

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